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Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
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12 Months Ended |
1 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Jan. 31, 2014
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Jul. 31, 2014
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Apr. 30, 2013
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Oct. 26, 2009
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| Class of Stock [Line Items] |
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| Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized |
10,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized |
10,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized |
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| Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share |
$ 0.001us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare |
$ 0.001us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare |
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| Common stock, shares authorized to repurchase (in shares) |
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8,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased |
| Remaining number of shares available to be repurchased |
3,335,448us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased |
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| Common stock repurchases (in shares) |
626,234us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired |
688,128us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired |
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| Payments for repurchase of common stock |
$ 29us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock |
$ 19us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock |
$ 13us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock |
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| Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues |
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15us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues |
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| U.S. Medical Management [Member] |
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| Class of Stock [Line Items] |
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| Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired |
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68.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember |
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| Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions |
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4,486,434us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember |
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| Community Health Solutions [Member] |
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| Class of Stock [Line Items] |
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| Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions |
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1,492,738us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_CommunityHealthSolutionsMember |
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| Acaria Health [Member] |
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| Class of Stock [Line Items] |
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| Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired |
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100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_AcariaHealthMember |
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| Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions |
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3,433,380us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_AcariaHealthMember |
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| Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues |
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685,280us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_AcariaHealthMember |
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| Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues |
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$ 15us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = cnc_AcariaHealthMember |
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